


spiritual reunion or how I learned to stop worrying and love spirits

by Extremelyslappy



Category: Metal Gear, Super Smash Brothers
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Character Study, Crossover, Domestic Fluff, F/F, Family Reunions, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, M/M, Reincarnation, Reunions, Spirits, kinda not really
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-10
Updated: 2019-04-10
Packaged: 2020-01-07 04:49:52
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,540
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18403442
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Extremelyslappy/pseuds/Extremelyslappy
Summary: When Galeem's lights create an army of puppet fighters, fueled by the relentless spirits of those spreading across multiple universe. The fighters proceeded to rescue said spirits. Although, what they never expected was what would happen when these spirits are given a chance to reunite again.aka Strangelove meets her son again.





	spiritual reunion or how I learned to stop worrying and love spirits

**Author's Note:**

> i cant die until im known as that person in the mgs fandom who keeps doing those weird smash bros crossovers 😤💕 anyway this is the fastest ive ever written anything so I guess it tells u my priorities dfnidnfgijfjg 
> 
> o and im going off the assumption that Hal doesn't know anything about Strangelove or how snakes and his pasts are connected. also I guess it does w/o saying but spoilers for mgsv :0 !!!

Her body felt limp as nothing made sense in her brain. It was an odd sensation. She felt like she had a body but she still felt… light. 

 

The last thing she could remember was the feeling of air barely reaching her lungs, rapid breathing, in a vain attempt to stay alive only for everything to go dark. Then she was here. A few things she could remember was feeling nothing but primal instincts. A strange, animalistic instinct to have a corporeal form. The only memories she retained was of her and Joy. 

 

Her precious Joy. 

 

Then she was sucked back from her paradise and was met face to face with a swordsman with blue hair and a pink puffball and several other… unique faces. She listened as they explained something about “Galeem” and “the ultimate destruction” and how she wasn't the only one here. All she got was that the entirety of the multiverse was in danger and they needed everyone's help to save it. They helped introduce her to the other saved “spirits” as they called them. 

 

She inwardly groaned at the convoluted mess. Then again, she couldn't really speak when her own home was equally as bizarre the more put she put into it. But no, she couldn't just live in peace. Maybe peace was never met for her? Maybe she was still stuck inside the pod and this was how her brain was processing everything as she was suffocating?

 

Her mind raced as she watched various creatures interact, trying to find someone, anyone, who she could recognize. She was suddenly pushed back by a large and sturdy body in her way. Her instinct was to call them out for being in the way, even if it was her fault that she wasn't looking at where she was going. 

 

A hand reached out towards her. Even with her sunglasses, the sun still obscured who it was. 

 

“Strangelove?” The voice asked. That was her name. Something hitched in her throat at the sound of it. Could it be? She took the person’s hand: it was bigger and stocker than hers. She was easily lifted up to her feet and was met with a soft smile. “It is you…” 

 

Her vision focused. 

 

“Joy!” She screamed, immediately hurling her arms around the woman. Joy quickly picked her up and twirled her around like she was nothing. The world spun around them and stood still at the same time. Tears ran down her face as she held Joy's face in her hands. Her mouth tasted of salt and smudged lipstick. Chapped lips pressed against her cheek and all Strangelove could do was laugh. 

 

The euphoria she felt in her chest as she was smothered by Joy was unparalleled. It was bubbly and warm like the cups of tea they used to have together. Joy’s scent filling her lungs, a familiar scent of cedar, fall leaves, and cinnamon. 

 

“Oh, my darling,” Strangelove whispered into her shoulder. 

 

“I know, dear. I know,” Joy muttered back. They pulled away and smiled. Bits of Joy’s hair unravelled from her ponytail. Strangelove lifted a hand and gently pushed the stray strands of hair from her face. There. Perfect. Joy slipped a hand on one of the legs of her sunglasses. Strangelove only slightly resisted her movement as she pulled them off her face. She blinked several times. 

 

“I always loved your blue eyes,” Joy smiled as Strangelove felt her face become flush, even more so as Joy smiled and pressed another kiss to her cheek, her sunglasses no longer covering her face. “I’m so happy you can bask in the sunlight with me,” 

 

Strangelove looked down at her arms. They weren’t getting burned. 

 

“You are my sunshine,” Strangelove said back, her fingers brushing against her hand before gently intertwining, finding home with Joy’s. Her bigger hand cradling Strangelove’s smaller one. All she wanted to right now was melt into her touch. 

 

But having Joy’s lips finally press against hers after so long was a good second best. 

 

\---

 

Despite the entire universe being at stake, Strangelove still found peace by Joy's side. Sometimes she would have to go and aid some of the other fighters, but Strangelove wouldn't relent until she went with her. The two women cooing at how they wouldn't leave each other anymore. Some of them would roll their eyes before allowing them both to help. No one really taunting either of them for their love, which was a nice change of pace.

 

They both sat around a fireplace as all the fighters adjourned. Apparently, they had decided on splitting into separate groups to search for some more of their friends more up north, but they would make that venture in the morning. She looked up at the stars and wondered how different they were compared to the ones back at home. They must have been if she can’t recognize any constellations. Or maybe they weren’t in the places she recognized. 

 

She enjoyed gazing at the stars as she laid her head on Joy’s lap with her hand running through her hair. A moment peace. This is what she always strived for. 

 

“Oh, uh, I apologize! I seem to be bothering you two!” A blue-hair swordsman apologized to the two of them. 

 

“Marth, you said your name was?” Joy asked. Strangelove lifted her head up. 

 

“Ah yes! The Boss, I mean-uhm, ma’am, uhm…” Marth stuttered, unsure of what polite name to call her. 

 

“Joy’s fine,” She waved to him. 

 

“Well, Joy, tomorrow we were planning on venturing more north, but there’s been a troublesome spirit preventing us from doing so. I wished to discuss our plan with you,” Marth asked with a bow at the end. Joy smiled at his politeness. It’s great to feel respected for once. She nodded and proceeded to get up and chat with the prince. 

 

“You’re not going to demand to come with me? Where’s the darling I know?” Joy joked at Strangelove’s lack of rebellion. 

 

“I know you don’t need me to help you kick ass,” She mumbled before giving her a light shove. “Don’t take too long, I’ll see you later,” She gave her another kiss on her cheek before sending her off to talk with the prince. Strangelove figured it’d be good to see what other oddities the multiverse has to share. She wandered through the plains with nothing but the stars covering her. 

 

She was intrigued by the newfound creatures and people of varying pasts, even engaging with a conversation with a few. But it quickly became chilly as the moon rose, wishing she brought a jacket or something. She walked to the nearest flame, hoping to warm up. There were two people sitting by a nearby flame and she marched onward, hoping it’d be ok.

 

Then she paused. She got a good look at the two figures sitting there. The orange hue lighting them up. The horse-like face. The brown hair. The lab coat. Her stomach dropped and its contents also threatened to rise at the sight. 

 

Huey. 

 

Motherfucking Huey.

 

The asshole who threatened her son’s life and proceeded to kill her. 

 

Her head spun like a whirlwind of emotions slapped her. She only felt a slight twinge of remorse of using him to make a child in Joy’s memory. But after all the shit this poor excuse of a human being pulled, all bets were off. She sped walked towards him as she rolled up her sleeves.

 

“Huey!” She screamed, only for no response. She walked faster. 

 

“Huey! Are you listening?” She cried louder. She was drawing the attention of more people. 

 

He still wasn’t paying attention as he faced someone. He proceeded to laugh at them, throwing his head back to reveal… Snake? Big Boss? What was he doing here? Why were he and Huey laughing together? Where was his eyepatch? It had to be Snake, he looked exactly like the man. Maybe not as much facial hair and no eyepatch, but it was a near exact copy of him. Her mind hit with another whiplash of emotion. 

 

She walked slower, sleeves still rolled up. 

 

And then they kissed. 

 

That’s when she really wondered if this was just a hallucination due to the lack of oxygen. Was this was how her brain was compensating? 

 

Big Boss? Maybe, she’s seen the way he and Kaz have acted near each other. But Huey? Huey? No. Absolutely not. He’s the most… vanilla… person she had ever met. Considering she worked with a bunch of men at NASA, it was a high bar to reach. 

 

She needed answers. Now. 

 

She walked up to the two of them laughing, only for them to become quiet as she stepped closer. The more she looked at the man, the less he looked like Huey. His hair wasn’t greasy and actually had some volume to it. Still messy, but not disgustingly so. His cheekbones were more defined and he actually had muscle. Not anything impressive, but not Huey-scrawny. Who was he?

 

“H-Huey?” She asked. Both of them looked at each other before looking at her again. They stood up to face her. He nearly stood at her height. Wait, he was standing without any aid. So, definitely not Huey. 

 

“Are you Huey Emmerich?” She asked again. He opened his mouth only to close it again. 

 

“Who’s asking?” The other man asked. Great, he even sounds like Snake.  

 

“I asked first,” She stubbornly enforced. The gruffer man was clearly ready to retort only for him to hold him back.

 

“Snake, put that gun down!” He squawked, waving his arms around trying to hold down. Oh, God. His codename is Snake too. She was pretty sure she just stepped into an episode of the Twilight Zone at this point. She watched as the two of them quarreled, the Huey look-alike trying to pull the gun away from… Snake. 

 

“You must be Naked Snake then,” she coughed, which seemed to get his attention. He put the gun away and locked eyes with her. 

 

“Naked Snake was my father's old code name…” He grunted out. A family of snakes. He was now extremely skeptical at who she was as seen with how his hand was hovering over the gun in its holster. She took a deep breath in. 

 

She rubbed her hands against her face. 

 

“I might as well introduce myself, my name’s Dr. Strangelove,” She placed a hand over her chest. 

 

“Like the movie?” The Huey look alike smiled. She nodded. 

 

“I apologize for my intrusion, but I must have mistaken you both for my old… coworkers. I apologize for any confusion,” She bowed before turning around. She needs Joy right now. Right at this moment. She needs her to hold before she loses it.  

 

“Wait!” She looked behind. His hand was sticking out, blue eyes pleading for her not to go. That definitely wasn't like Huey. He’d never take the initiative to any situation. She turned her head and lowered her sunglasses. 

 

“Huey was my father,” He replied, his gaze was stone cold. 

 

“Otacon, shut up. We don’t know who she is,” Snake grunted with a small tug on his sleeve, emphasizing his point.

 

“He was your father?” She asked. He nodded. Could it be? Her throat tightened. It could explain why he looked so… much like him…. She blinked and turned back to the odd pair. She sucked in a breath.

 

“How do you know about him? And Big Boss?” Otacon, apparently, asked. His voice wavered a bit. She looked at his companion. He looked away from Otacon while glaring at her. “Please…” Otacon whined. 

 

Sweet Jesus… It had to be…

 

She removed her glasses and rubbed at her eyes, smudging her makeup. But surely it was already smudged from her eyes watering. “Sigh, is your name, Hal? Hal Emmerich?” 

 

Snake stood up straighter, taking a step forward and pushing Otacon aside. His glare sharpened as he pulled out his gun and gripped it tightly. 

 

“Snake, hun, stop that. It doesn’t matter, what is she going to do?” Otacon pleaded with him. 

 

“I don’t care. I don’t trust her,” Snake growled, pushing Otacon backward. 

 

“But let’s hear her out!” Otacon fought back, pulling Snake’s arm down. 

 

“Hal!-” Snake barked, before effectively shutting his mouth after letting his name slip. A knot got caught in Strangelove’s throat. She slapped a hand onto her mouth as the tears she’s been holding back finally rolled down her face. Small sobs escaped her lips. Both men effectively shut up and watched as she cried. 

 

It was him. Oh… He was alive. He’s alive. 

 

Strangelove reached a weak hand out. Her arm was trembling as she slowly touched Hal’s cheek. Her fingertips only slightly grazing his skin. He slightly flinched at her touch.

 

“So… you are Hal Emmerich?” She weakly asked, her accent thickening as she sobbed. He nodded and raised his own hand up to touch hers as if comforting her. 

 

Memories began to flood back of a small child on her lap. His tiny fingers wrapped her own. Her chest pounded when she remembered what kept her away from seeing him grow up. Even as she was pleading for her life, pleading for that disgusting waste of space to spare her, her mind kept flowing back to Hal and Joy. Hope that her son would never know who that piece of shit was. Hope that he’d stay alive. Hope that Joy would watch over him. That he would carry on her will. 

 

She slammed her head down against his shoulder, full on sobbing as she wrapped her arms around him. He stood there frozen, arms left up, unsure of what to do with them. Snake slowly put his gun away, realizing there was no threat. Hal looked at Snake, eyes pleading with him on what to do. 

 

Strangelove gripped his white jacket, trying to force herself up to look at him. Once she got the strength to do so, she lifted her head up and cupped his face. Her mascara had begun to run down her face and even stained a bit of his jacket. 

 

“H-Hal…” Her voice was a shaky sigh as she smiled. He’s grown so much. She really couldn’t believe it was actually him. “I-I’m… s-so sorry…” She gripped the sides of his arms. Her entire body failed to hold her up and she dropped to her knees, still clinging onto Hal. 

 

“P-Please forgive me…” She choked out, unable to look at him in the eyes. Her glasses fell off her face with a clatter. She only let go of him to put them in her vest pocket. But they wouldn’t go all the way in, blocked by something in there. 

 

Her hand shook as it fiddled with whatever was inside. It was a folded up paper. It was torn from was seems like years of wear and tear. She unfolded it. 

 

It was a picture of her and Hal together. 

 

She smiled as even more tears spilled. God, she must look like a wreck.  

 

“I’m… sorry. I don’t know who you are…” Hal softly apologized, bending down to her level with Snake doing the same. Strangelove shook her head and let out a breathy laugh. 

 

“Of course, you wouldn’t… you were only a baby…” She huffed, still looking at the picture. She found the courage to look at him in the face. It was painted with concern and worry, a face of kindness that Huey never wore, but that Joy always carried. He really was like her. “Hal…” She pushed the photo into his hands. 

 

Hal took it and gasped. Her vision was blurry, so she couldn't exactly see his expression. Snake peered over his shoulder and his eyes widened also. His thumb grazed over the picture. That was him. He looked so tiny. 

 

“I’m your mother,” She smiled. Hal looked up at her and back down at the photo. “I was the one who birthed you…” She lifted up her shirt to show the C-section scar that still lingered. Hal’s hands trembled at the sudden revelation. 

 

For years, he had pestered his father about who he was and his biological mother was. The most he had ever gotten out him was a simple, “That’s the past. Let’s just focus on us Emmerich men, huh?” Any hope of finding out who his actual mother died as soon as he remarried to Julie and met E.E. He thought he’d never know who she was. 

 

“Mom?” He whispered. The fire lighting up her silver hair into a warm hue that brought comfort to his heart. Hazy thoughts had flashed in and out of his head of a woman smiling at him. He’d sometimes remember a voice with an accent telling him to not be afraid. 

 

But he always brushed it off as nothing more than odd amalgamations his brain would make whenever he was stressed. 

 

Now, the more he stared at her, the less they felt like hallucinations, but more like memories. 

 

“Mom!” He cried, smiling wide. Strangelove laughed as she toppled her son, holding him tightly. Hal did the same as he laughed and began to cry also. Snake looked away, wiping a stray tear. Both of them held each other, rolling in the dirt, not caring about how dirty they would become. She grabbed his face again and smothered it with kisses, unable to hold back anymore. 

 

She was going to make up for all of those lost years, and by God, was she going to start now. 

 

“You’ve grown into such a wonderful man,” She hummed, brushing a stray piece of hair away. Hal shut his eyes, too overwhelmed with happiness. He turned his head back to Snake and smile. 

 

“This is my mom, Dave!” He proudly cheered, reaching out to hold Snake’s hand. Dave smiled at them, not caring about holding back his tears. “Oh! This is Snake, my husband! His name’s actually Dave!” Hal smiled, tugging Dave closer to them. Strangelove laughed at the coincidence. 

 

“A space oddity, huh? You two must have taken a trip to Jupiter at some point,” She huffed. Fate has quite a sense of humor. “Thank you, Dave, for taking care of him,” Dave rubbed the back of his neck and blushed. 

 

“No, most of the time it was your son who was taking care of me,” He admitted as Hal squawked and retorted back at how he saved the world, which only created a back and forth of who did what for who. Warmth surged through her chest at the lovely sight of the two romantically bickering. 

 

Their conversation eventually developed into all of them recounted what happened in all of their lives. Strangelove recounted everything: Her meeting Joy, her AI research, the Peace Walker incident, her meeting Big Boss and Huey-

 

“You worked with Big Boss, Hal’s father, and Master Miller?” Dave asked. 

 

“Yes, fate has a weird way of bringing people together, no?” She muttered. Hal and Dave looked at each other. Their fathers had met before. Were they fated to meet? She continued to describe everything, all the good and bad. 

 

“You must have wondered what happened to me, Hal,” Strangelove whispered.

 

“My father never told me anything about you,” He mumbled in shame. 

 

“Huey?”

 

“Yes. You should know-”

 

“You shouldn’t have known about him. When I sent you away, I thought you’d never have to face that man’s wrath. Hal, Huey wanted to use you as a test subject for Sahelanthropus since only a child could fit in the cockpit. Stupid man. Can build a Metal Gear, but can't make a properly sized cockpit,” She dryly laughed. 

 

“I wasn’t going to let him use you as a guinea pig, so I sent you away to America. He later locked me inside the Mammal Pod… and then…” She choked back a sigh. “I need to know this… What has he done to you?” She pleaded to know the answer to that question; she needed to know if she had failed. 

 

Hal shut his eyes as he told of everything that ever happened. Huey’s sudden return to his life, his gradual neglect of him,  ~~ Julie ~~ , Emma, (Snake had to hold her back from searching to see if Huey was actually here. At that point, she was shaking from fury the more he talked. She had to reassure Hal that she wasn’t mad at him.) Shadow Moses and Metal Gear REX. 

 

“You helped build a Metal Gear?!” Strangelove interrupted him. Hal immediately paled at his mother scolding. 

 

“I-I didn't know! I swear!” Hal waved his hands in defense. Snake laughed as he mentioned how he said the exact same thing to him when they first met. Strangelove rolled her eyes. 

 

“How many time have I told you-” She began to scold. She stopped as she realized she had never really told him to only use science for good. And if she did, he clearly wouldn't have remembered. 

 

Snake also popped in to clear the mood as he talked about the Tanker, Big Shell, FOXDIE; all of the years he and Hal spent together. How happy Hal made him. His face became flush as he realized how long he had been blabbering about everything that he and Hal had done together and all that he meant for him. But he figured he’d let his mother-in-law (???) know how great his son is and let Hal know how unlike his father he was. (Those thoughts always seems to plague the poor man.) But it didn’t stop from the elephant in the room from looming over them.

 

“So, I guess we all had a life plagued with nuclear warfare and Metal Gears,” Hal weakly laughed, only for her to hug him again. 

 

“You didn’t deserve any of this,” She pressed him close to her chest, combing her fingers through his hair. “I’m sorry for not being able to protect you… I’m sorry for failing you…” She whispered into him. 

 

“I don’t think you failed. I’m here, aren’t I?” He comforted her. 

 

“You really are just like Joy…” She giggled. 

 

“Who’s like me?” Everyone flinched at the sudden voice. Strangelove laughed and jumped to her feet and lunged at the woman, all bubbly and giddy. Her giggles spilled out like a waterfall so powerful, no dam could contain them. She pressed a loud kiss to her cheek as she laughed into her shoulder. Joy looked around and saw the other two men sitting on the ground. “John?”

 

“No, I’m his son,” Dave bluntly corrected. “You must be The Boss, huh?”

 

“John had a son?” She asked herself, suddenly realizing what she had stumbled into. 

 

“It’s a long story, darling. But, Joy,” Strangelove pulled both men up and pushed them towards her. “This is our son, Hal and his husband, Dave!” She proudly introduced. Joy laughed and grinned and pulled them close. She lifted up both of them and swung them around with ease before setting them down. The couple was wobbly and dizzy from the embrace as Hal held onto Dave for support. 

 

“He really does look like you, darling,” Joy commented as she lovingly ruffled Hal’s hair. 

 

“Really?” 

 

“Of course, he’s got your gorgeous eyes!” Joy complimented as if it was a no-brainer. She kissed the top of Hal’s head and kissed Strangelove right after. “Don’t think we have forgotten about you!” Joy gripped Dave’s chin and kissed his cheek. She did wonder if he was his grandchild then? Son-in-law? She shook her head and wrapped an arm around Dave. It didn’t matter, they were all family. 

 

Dave blushed at the sudden familial attention, unsure of how to deal with it. A family had never had a clear cut definition to him. But maybe at this moment, he knew what it was. Strong arms wrapped around them, smothering by their embrace.   

 

“We’re so sorry for leaving you alone,” Strangelove apologized once more, as if each apology would absolve her of one more sin. 

 

“And for leaving a mess up to clean up,” Joy mumbled also. Neither of them said a word and only held them back tighter. 

 

A small and quick pattering of feet stopped right behind them. Hal felt a small tug at the edge of his jacket. They pulled away and looked down at who it was.

 

“Dad! I just made some more friends-” The little girl began to quickly ramble, stopping when she saw the other two women in front of them. She turned to Dave in search of answers, only to realize they had been crying. She clawed her way into Dave’s arms as she patted his face. “Dad, papa, why are you crying?” She asked. A loud gasp made the little girl flinch. 

 

“You have a daughter?!” Strangelove screamed, reaching towards the kid and pinching her cheeks. All the little girl did was giggle at the attention. 

 

“Yeah, her name's Sunny,” Hal explained. Strangelove looked up at Dave to which he nodded. She pulled Sunny into her arms and gave her a little bounce. “Sunny, these are your grandmothers!” Hal introduced. Sunny gasped and hugged Strangelove. 

 

“I have grandmothers!” She repeated before being passed to Joy as she hugged her also and received a kiss on her cheek from Joy. 

 

“What a beautiful name! Awww, look at her! She has my hair! And Joy's eyes!” Strangelove chippered as she ran her fingers through Sunny's silky hair. Hal began to sweat and waved his hands, about to correct them how she was adopted. Dave placed a hand on his shoulder and shook his head. 

 

Hal rolled his eyes and slipped his fingers in between Dave's and leaned in for a kiss. Sunny audibly groaned as the other women laughed at her reaction. 

 

“She’s also really bright. Sunny!” Dave called out to the girl. She perked up, Strangelove’s sunglasses fitting loosely on her face as they tipped to one side. “What’s the 24th number of the fibonacci sequence?” Sunny nodded her head from side to side, humming something.

 

“ 46368!” She chimed, still trying to balance the sunglasses on her face. Both of the women blinked and looked at Hal. He simply awkwardly laughed and rubbed the back of his head. 

 

“She’s just like her father,” Dave winked and pressed a kiss to his cheek, laughing at how his face reddened even more. Hal playfully shoved him away, unable to take so much love at once.

 

“You better treat these kids right,” Joy gripped the top of Dave's head, messing up his hair. The headband slightly slipped off his forehead and covered his eye. 

 

“Yes, ma'am!” He jokingly saluted before being slapped hard on the back by her. 

 

The feeling in Strangelove's chest was indescribable. It was a happiness that couldn't be replicated. In her heart, as much as she dreamed of absolution, she wasn't sure if she deserved it. Happiness, forgiveness, peace: they were all just illusions she dreamt of. Aspirations she would never get. 

 

But at this moment, this exact moment, as she held Sunny, kissed Hal's cheek and fixed Dave's bandana, all with Joy at her side, she felt the closest to be absolved of all she had done. Whatever God out there had forgiven and blessed her, she was grateful. 

 

Maybe peace wasn't an illusion after all. 

  
  


**Author's Note:**

> partially terrified of some dude bros one day finding my mgs/smash fics and putting me on blast gndklngklhjdfkjsd but thank u for everyone on Tumblr enabling me to write this nfodngjo 💕💕💕 yall are real 😤✊💕 I may or may not have more one shot ideas based on the spirits mode so 👀 sfnkdjsfkdg but thanks for reading


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